This is the first year that we have done anything like this. The kids are really into their jobs. Every student ran for an elected position. They made posters and gave speeches.

I would say to them like everybody else that loses their jobs, look for better employment.

Jobs can wait, but the lives of these kids cannot. And because no one else was doing anything else about it.

We simply cannot allow for it to continue to kill our jobs and, frankly, to move our kids out of state.

We held the election in early January. Each town has a mayor, board of education, sheriff and deputies.

This year's event promises to be a pulsating affair, because it features a lot of kids who have grown with the event and who will be performing for the first time in the senior section, alongside musical giants such as Pops Mohamed.